CHAPTER VII

Departure for Cyprus.—Rama.—Jaffa.—Beyrout.—Colchis.—Cyprus.
—Nicosia.—Mosen Suarez and the late King's captivity.—Tafur
is appointed ambassador to the Sultan of Egypt,

The next day we departed with the Governor and
the friars and slept at Rama. The following day we
reached the port of Jaffa, where we found the galleys
awaiting us, and we went on board, and the Moors
and friars returned to Jerusalem while we set sail for
Beyrout. This day the Governor Na9ardin came to
me and related what befell the King of Denmark, and
so we arrived at the port of Damascus. We passed
along the coaft by Tyre, Ascalon and Acre, where is
a caftle to which the Knights of St. John withdrew
when they loft Jerusalem. Close by is Nazareth,
where Our Lady was saluted, which is in Galilee, and
so we arrived at Beyrout. Here the patrons of the
galleys took in merchandise, and I desired to see
Damascus, but they could not ftay for me. From
here I saw Mount Lebanon, where all the trees are
cedars, but they looked like laurels. Here, in Beyrout,
they say that St. George slew the dragon, and now they
find these creatures in the fields under the ftones, like
scorpions, and they grow no larger and have no poison.
This, they say, is due to the prayers of the blessed
St. George. I gathered much information concerning
Damascus, but since I did not see the place I pass it
over and leave it to those that have been there. We
departed from Beyrout by the coaft of Syria as far as
Armenia, where of old Antioch is said to have ftood,
and they showed it to us. Then, proceeding along the
coaft, we saw the caftle of Colchis where Medea lived,
and the island of the  Golden  Fleece.    This  caftle

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